Abstract:

The article discusses the policy in relation to the monuments of history and culture, which was carried out in Soviet Russia in 1917—1927. The activities of the newly created state bodies for the protection of cultural and historical values, the role of museum specialists in their salvation, and the increasing trend of the utilitarian approach to culture are analyzed. Both positive changes and negative aspects of the «cultural revolution» that caused the loss of many monuments of art and antiquity are traced. The activity of the first state registration of cultural property stored in the former noble estates and owned by the Russian Orthodox Church is shown. It is emphasized that the museum departments with a small staff and poor funding could not cope with the task of organizing effective control over the entire artistic and historical heritage. It is concluded that the excessive centralization of the protection of monuments did not allow to fully implement the proclaimed goals and objectives of preserving cultural wealth.

Keywords: provincial department of national education; noble estate; cultural heritage; museum; museum workers; Department of Museums and Art and Antiques Protection of the People´s Education Commissariat; art values